


His Final Gambit

by poketin



Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, New Dangan Ronpa V3: Everyone's New Semester of Killing
Genre: Angst, Gen, M/M, Momota Kaito is Honorable, Oma Kokichi Is a Little Shit, Spoilers, a snippet of what happens between kokichi and kaito before the chapter 5 trial, only shuichi needs to understand kokichi's final words
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-29
Updated: 2021-01-29
Packaged: 2021-03-14 21:00:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,031
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29052522
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/poketin/pseuds/poketin
Summary: Kokichi asks Kaito to relay one final message to Shuichi.
Relationships: Oma Kokichi/Saihara Shuichi
Comments: 2
Kudos: 52





	His Final Gambit

Kokichi’s plan has been laid out.

His beautiful clothes have been discarded, the Exisal is at the ready, the script written out with so much detail that even an idiot like Kaito couldn’t mess it up. Even the camera angle is perfectly set up for his big debut.

Kaito is in as deep thought as he can be, his bleeding heart and honorable nature at war with everything Kokichi stands for. If they had more time, Kokichi wouldn’t mind perching himself on the railing and reveling at such an obvious moral quandary he’s cultivated.

But there’s a video that needs completion and a body that needs discovering, and so he makes his way down to where Kaito’s mumbling to himself and tugging at his goatee, almost like he’s forgotten he’s not the only one in the room.

Ugh.

Kaito jumps as Kokichi loudly sniffs back big, salty tears, his grin hidden behind a clenched fist and shoulders shaking of glee disguised as sorrow.

“Boohoo! My big, heroic sacrifice and you’re making it all about you. I guess you’re only doing this for Maki Roll after all, so I’m not too surprised~”

Kaito sputters as Kokichi holds his arms behind his head and sighs bitterly.

“I mean, who’s the real hero, huh? I’ve been doing so many nice things for all of you, and I won’t even get a single thank you at the end of it all!”

He twirls a finger through his hair, interest fading. It’s fortunate that Kaito’s predictability will work to their advantage during the trial, because otherwise it’s only remarkable in its dullness.

“…Thank you, Kokichi.”

Kaito looks more like he wants to strangle him than thank him for _anything_ , but of course it’s not as if much of what Kokichi said was a lie, huh? Kokichi wants to laugh.

There’s a first for everything.

“Well really it’s not thanks that I want, but something else…if I can count on you, that is.”

Even Kaito can figure Kokichi is playing his pride like a fiddle, but there’s not much to be done about it now. They’re on borrowed time as it is, so Kaito simply nods towards him.

“Can you tell Shumai one thing for me?”

Kaito tilts his head. “So you trust him to figure out, huh?”

Kokichi tilts his head right back, smirk plastered on his face. He says nothing.

Kaito stares at him a moment, then sighs. “Sure, what is it?”

_Tell him there’s nothing he can’t do. Tell him he has all he needs._

“Tell him…”

_I trust him_.

“…that…”

_I love him._

“…you’re welcome!”

_I’m sorry._

“Huh?! Seriously, that’s what you want me to say?”

Kokichi juts out his lip, crocodile tears already welling up in his eyes.

“Well if my dying words aren’t good enough for you, I guess that’s fine. Just ignore a dying man’s last request!”

He winces as a twinge of pain grips him, undercutting his charade. Kaito may be an idiot, but even Kokichi can’t deny his loyalty. In fact, he’s betting on it, and Kokichi never loses when he plays for real.

Kaito shakes his head. There wouldn’t be enough time in the sprawling universe for him to understand Kokichi, but he doesn’t really need to to trust him. He straightens up and grins for the first time in an eternity.

“Of course I’ll tell him. I promise on the stars!”

Kokichi sticks out his tongue, coughing weakly.

“Ewww, don’t promise. Just do it.”

But his mirth can’t help but dissipate a bit as he stares at the press machine.

Kokichi takes in a shuddering breath. A dramatic end that will conceal everything until his beloved Shuichi puts the pieces together. For two puzzle-lovers, there really isn’t a better way to go. Frustrating Monokuma barely feels like the cherry on top. He wishes he could see everyone’s faces as Shuichi reveals the truth of what’s about to happen and Kaito fills in the pieces.

Oh, to watch their sour hatred of him melt into shock! Perhaps even some of their tears for Kaito could be spared for little ol’ Kokichi? The idea of Maki allowing even a piece of her precious, guarded heart to include the guy she hates the most gives him immense satisfaction, and Shuichi—

He jumps as a hand clamps his shoulder. He glares back at Kaito, irritation dripping from his voice.

“You want to give me a heart attack before we can execute my brilliant plan? You’re such a glory hog.”

Kokichi grabs his hand, making to tear it off his shoulder until Kaito squeezes harder. Kokichi’s whole frame shakes but it’s not him whose doing it, there’s nothing left in him for that. There’s something swimming in Kaito’s dark eyes that Kokichi doesn’t want to dissect and he looks away.

“I’ll see you soon, okay?”

Kokichi swallows thickly. He briefly squeezes his hand back under the guise of shoving Kaito off him as he steps forward.

“Let’s finish this.”

He hears Kaito stumble as his support is taken out from under him. There’s only so much leaning on him that Kokichi can stand.

They get ready for the final act.

There’s no time for it, and he wouldn’t vocalize it anyway, but he’s grateful for Kaito’s silence.

Kokichi lays back on the press, the coolness of the metal somewhat negated by the warmth of the jacket he’s lying on. He strokes the swirling galaxy lining the inside, wishing he could’ve at least kept his scarf. Unfortunately, there’s no wiggle room even for him in this final gambit. He’ll let himself be swallowed by the cosmos and that will be it.

_It’s my win in the end._

He wills the sound of Kaito’s ascending footsteps out of his mind. The smell of blood. The painful throbbing of his body as poison courses through his veins. He closes his eyes and takes a deep breath. His heart is _pounding_.

A grin spreads across his face. The anticipation is almost sweet enough to make him start laughing. The culmination of every lie he’s built up, and his final gift. How _interesting_ it all turned out to be!

_Catch me if you can, Shumai._

**Author's Note:**

> lady gaga's judas is a great saiouma song


End file.
